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Damian DeNiro
Darius Samuels (born June 9, 1983), better known by his ring name, Damian DeNiro, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and booker. He is most known for his time spend in GameFAQs Wrestling Federation. He is a former United States Champion, having won the GWF United States Champion early in his career and holding it for a record breaking one year. He is also a former World Tag Team Champion, having won the GWF World Tag Team Championship with XO Malone and then The Reprobate, and holding it for a record breaking nine months with the two different partners on one occasion. He had held both championships simultaneously, as one of the rare double champions in GWF history. His second tag team partner in the first reign, The Reprobate, had also been a double champion at the time, making them the first in history to hold the World Tag Team Championship simultaneously with singles championships (Rep holding the GWF World Interbrand Championship.) He holds the record as the final double champion in GWF history, and the last man to have ever held the World Tag Team and United States Championships. He was the first Sunday Brunch Interbrand Champion, and wrestled in the first ever Sunday Brunch match. He has been cited as once of the most successful and popular wrestlers in GWF history. Professional wrestling career GameFAQs Wrestling Federation (2007-2008) Early career Samuels signed the GWF on November 4, 2007, and was rechristened Damian DeVil. He made his first appearance for the promotion on GWF.com, interfering in a dark match between Michael Smart and Smoke, which was taped for SND 13. The interference led to his first televised match, Smoke and Damian DeVil vs. Michael Smart and Ryan Naughton. Damian defeated Smart and Naughton, and continued an undefeated streak through Locked N' Loaded, where he defeated Smoke, Michael Smart, and Ryan Naughton in a four way match. His undefeated streak came to an end at SND 18 when he was defeated by Debolt Dragonsbane. This loss would send Damian back and forth from lower mid-card to jobber for the next few weeks. At Season's Beatings on December 23, 2007, Damian was booked in a gauntlet match against Debolt Dragonsbane, XO, and Russell Ayero for the GWF International-Xtreme Championship. Russell Ayero was eliminated first, Damian was eliminated second. The final round came down to XO and Debolt, two men who had carried a storied rivalry going into the match. XO pulled out all three victories, and became IX Champion. This lead to a feud between Damian and XO, which culminated at Sunday Night Sacrifice, where XO became the first man to defeat Damian two days in a row, as he had defeated him the night before on Saturday Night Dogfight in a Finisher only match. When Robert Garland and Adrian Karma began Sunday Brunch, they welcomed all talent that wanted to prove that they belonged at the top of the main roster. The show's first match was a qualifier for the Interbrand Championship, and had Damian face off with his long time rival, Michael Smart. Damian defeated Michael Smart to advance in the tournament. Interbrand Champion Damian had finally gotten his championship shot in a three way dance, which he won by pinning Michael Smart, who coincidentally was the first man that Damian ever pinned on the first episode of Sunday Brunch. On FNB, Damian went up against two future legends of GWF, then number 1 contender for the GWF Global Championship, Jeff James, and the then GWF Global Champion, Robert Garland. On SND 23, Jeff James defeated Damian DeVil in the Main Event of the night. Weeks later at SND 26, Robert Garland and Damian DeVil main evented the event in the first ever Blanket of Blood Match. The object of the match sees both men carrying an 8 by 8 inch towel, with the goal being to cover the towel completely with the opponents blood. Damian took advantage of Garland's open wound all night, coming close to winning every time he covered Garlands face with the towel. But in a stroke of luck, Garland busted Damian open with a chair shot, and began the offensive, after many near covers, Garland finally got Damian to bleed on the towel so much that he got the victory. This all culminated in a brawl between Garland, Damian, Jeff James and Chris Williams. Damian defeated Chris Williams in the first and last Holy Tomb match at Valentine's Vengeance. This win solidified Damian's career and sent him on to become a solid star. Damian then went after long time rival and the man who ended his undefeated streak, Debolt Dragonsbane. The storied rival's feud became as intense as ever, as Damian kidnapped Debolt's girlfriend, Jennifer Burkehart. This was a ploy to lure Debolt into trading his GWF United States Championship for his girlfriend's freedom. The plan backfired on March 23, as Damian suffered another loss to Debolt, but still kept Burkehart in his possession. The rematch was then set for FNB, Damian DeVil vs. Debolt Dragonsbane in a Blanket of Blood Match. Damian seemed to be in an advantage, but somehow Debolt defeated Damian yet again. During the match, Damian suffered a concussion. Damian spent an entire week in a local hospital, and swore revenge on Dragonsbane. After checking out, Damian participated in Survival Success, a 30 man battle royal where the winner main events the flagship event of the year, GWF Rise and Fall. United States Champion Dave Shadow announced that at the SNS before the battle royal, three men would wrestle in two matches with the winner receiving the number 29 spot and then a shot at the United States Championship. Damian was booked against Debolt Dragonsbane and Don Cicinni. Damian defeated Don in the first match, and then went on to finally defeat his old rival, Debolt, for the United States Championship. Later that same night, Debolt exacted revenge in the Survival Success match by eliminating the new champion. With the United States Championship still in his possession, Damian returned to FNB with a new look and a new attitude, as well as a new name. He deemed himself "Mister USA" and would then change his name to Damian DeNiro. He set out on making sure that America was represented well in every match that he participated in. He represented America in his own way, and cheated to win. He lived the lifestyle of what he thought America should be, 24 hours a day. With Rise and Fall near, Damian had yet to be booked in a match. Shortly before the event, it was announced that the Money in the Bank ladder match would take place at the event. During the two weeks of qualifying matches, he lost to Michael Smart, XO and Debolt. Frustrated, he negotiated with GWF owner Dave Shadow and got himself booked in the match, only by agreeing to put his US Championship on the line in the match as a second fall. On the June 6th, 2008 episode of FNB, a Money in the Bank/Intercontinental tag team preview match was made. "Metal" Michael Toaster, Debolt Dragonsbane and XO vs. Bryan Daniels, Michael Smart and Damian DeNiro. During the match, Damian and XO refused to fight each other, and the awkwardness continued until XO hit his own partner with a backbreaker, and then allowed Damian to finish off Debolt with an Ode 2 Queensbridge. The pin was counted to 3, and XO grabbed two chairs and threw them in the ring, handing one to Damian. Damian whacked Michael Smart in the back of the head, and XO proceeded to do the same to Debolt. After the assault, the two revealed that they were joining forces and creating a "movement." At Rise and Fall, Damian won the first fall and defended his United States Championship, but then lost the Money in the Bank stipulation. Still US Champion, Damian gave up his World Heavyweight Championship gold dreams and with new tag partner XO, set their sights on the GWF World Tag Team Championship. World Tag Team Champion Damian and XO Malone (christening themselves The Movement) became embroiled in a short rivalry with Kevin McAullife and Shelton Splash, who were the acting World Tag Team Champions. Fed up with Splash and McAuliffe not defending their titles, The Movement decided that it was necessary to take the belts away from the inactive tag team. The self-proclaimed American Gangsta stayed true to his name by winning the World Tag Team Championship with his partner XO on the special 4 July episode of FNB, becoming a double champion. In the spirit of America, Damian used a steel chair to set up his finisher, and then won the gold. On the night of the title win, Damian retired SheltonSplash by injuring his leg to the point of it never working again. Shortly after winning the belts, The Movement saw an increase in numbers, as young up and comer Stan Vishis was recruited to join the group as an out of the ring scout. During his time as a double champion, Damian also began appearing as a solo wrestler on Sunday Brunch, his old breeding grounds. He attempted to become the first triple champion in GWF history by challenging for The Reprobate's Interbrand Championship at the first ever Brunch Pay-Per-View, Dead End. He was unsuccessful in his attempt, as he was pinned at the event. This title reign was short lived however, as just a month later, on the August 8th edition of FNB, Damian and XO were set to defend the titles against a jobber tag team of Thine Eyes and R-Smith. After defending the belts in one of the shortest matches in GWF history, Damian suddenly turned on his own partner, XO, and beat him down with his finisher. Damian then pinned his partner for a three count and then proclaimed that he would choose a partner to take the belts. Surprisingly, he chose his rival The Reprobate, a man who he had just been pinned by days before, to take XO's spot in the group and hold the second championship. Not feeling that Vishis was mature or accomplished enough to hold the belt, Damian successfully created the first super-group in history to hold the World Tag Team Championship and two singles belts at the same time. Feud with the Contender After his initial spat with The Reprobate was cut short by the two becoming World Tag Team Champions together, a returning Contender swore to exact revenge on Damian, for retiring him months before. Contender returned the night before Damian chose Rep as his World Tag Team Championship partner, at New Beginnings. Thus, the week brought the close of one feud, and the opening of another. Contender returned the next FNB an pinned Damian in the ring. This feud was cut short however, as GWF ceased operation shortly after it began. Return to GWF and Retirement (2009) After GWF's closing, Damian was missing in action as far as wrestling was concerned. When the GWF reunion tour was announced, GWF.com stated that due to Damian's refusal to play a part in the tour, he would be stripped of his US Championship and the belt would be vacated for a unification tournament with the Intercontinental Championship. Damian did however, choose to participate only in the first GWF Brunch reunion date, the Sunday Brunch Anniversary Show, where he was to defend his World Tag Team Championship with The Reprobate against Baron Trotter and Stan Vishis, as well as wrestle a second match against a mystery opponent. The two defended the belts, but were then subsequently stripped of them when it was announced that Damian refused to defend them at any further events. The Reprobate then turned on Damian because of this greed, and physically assaulted him in the ring long enough to the point where XO could reveal himself as Damian's surprise opponent. XO entered the ring and finally got his pinfall revenge over Damian. This would be Damian's last match and appearance at any major wrestling event in some time. He was assumed to have been retired. Premiere Wrestling Alliance (2010) On May 2, 2010, it was announced that Damian DeNiro had been in talks with the Premiere Wrestling Alliance. The promotion's booker is DeNiro's former tag team partner The Reprobate. DeNiro made his first appearance at a professional wrestling event in over a year at Capital Punishment, where he made an appearance attacking his heel cousin Angelo Samuels. Later that night, he made a short appearance in the Survival of the Sickest match, and then topped off the night wrestling in a surprise main event 2/3 Falls match against his former nemesis Chris Williams for the PWA World Heavyweight Championship. Though DeNiro lost, the match has been cited as a five star great, and is a 2010 PWA match of the year candidate. The following week on PWA Wrestling on HBO, DeNiro wrestled Frank Washington for the PWA World Interbrand Championship, a belt that DeNiro held for the first time in 2007. He was unsuccessful, and although the match was also highly regarded, it was reported that DeNiro and his former friend Reprobate got in to a verbal altercation, and the backstage heat between them left DeNiro taking yet another sabbatical from wrestling. In wrestling *'Finishing moves' **''Ode 2 Queensbridge'' (Cross–legged Samoan driver) **''The Last Breath'' (Crossface) *'Signature moves' **''The Closeout'' (R-15) **''The Big Bang Effect'' (Second rope piledriver) **''Ole Kick'' (Running big boot) **''Takeover'' (Falling arm breaker) **''Jesus Piece'' (Top rope clothesline) **Tornado DDT **Guillotine leg drop *'Managers' **Christina Hernandez **Mint E. Fresh **Reverend Rubinstein/The Sinister Minister **Stan Vishis *'Nicknames' **The American Gangsta **'The American Gangster' **'The Industry's Number 1 Draft Pick' *'Entrance themes' **"Bewitched" by Candlemass (GWF, 2008) (as Damian DeVil) **"C.R.E.A.M." by Wu-Tang Clan (GWF, 2008) **"Damien" by DMX (GWF, 2008) **'"Ready or Not"' by The Fugees (PWA, 2010) **"Success" by Jay-Z (GWF, 2008) Championships and accomplishments *'GameFAQs Wrestling Federation' **GWF United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time) **GWF World Interbrand Championship (1 time) **GWF World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with XO Malone (1), The Reprobate (1) Match history Category:Wrestlers